Machine for playing solitaire



Nov. 9, 1943. J. J. HICKEY MACHINE FOR PLAYING SOL I'I'AIRE Filed June 10, 1942 3'Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

A0 cues Y BY 4 7' TO/PNE Vs Nov. 9, 1943. J. J. HICKEY 2,334,093

MACHINE FOR PLAYING SOLITAIRE Filed June 10, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mull/'3";

. \A Y I m2 425 m 027 [/04 a- (94 1".

' INVENTOR.

Nov. 9, 1943. J. J. HICKEY MACHINE FOR PLAYING SOLITAIRE Filed June 10, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVEN TOR.

x/amv MH/QKEY BY fiww a A TTOENE'YS Patented Nov. 9, 1943 UNITED STATES. "PATENT FQ'FFICE I g u .ffz',as4,osa

ACHINEFORrLAYiKG surname Jo m'ninekey,Arimgw na; Application junelll, 1942,"seria1 No. 446,425 7Claim's; (c1. 273- 14 Ihis inventionrelates to games and-refers more particularly to machines forrplaying solitaire and similar games which are usually played with a deck of 52 011,53 playing cards. v 4 7,

An object of the present invention is the provision of'a game playing machine which can be; conveniently used by crippled or agedpersons, or persons aiiiicted with various nervous ailments, who are unable to hold, shuflle or deal car-defer the purpose of playing various games similar to those which are played by means of cards.

Another object is the provisionof a novel and entertaining. substitute for card games, consisting of a machine the operations of which replaci' various manipulations which mustbe carried out in the course of a card game.

A further object is to substitute playing cards by units which are not affected by ordinary winds,

' thus making it possible to play out-doors, for

instanceon lawns, beaches and decks-of moving steamships. Yet another object is to eliminate slowand monotonous ,shufiiin-g and dealing of playing cards, which afiord undue advantages-to. players with long practice, and to substitute the-reior a more rapid, efiicient and uniform machine shuffling and machine-dealing of playing iunitsr Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification. i

In. accomplishingfithe objects of the present invention it. was found desirable to provide a hollow drum or casewhich may be-rocked-or r0} tatedlon an inclined plane for the purpose of mixing balls or other rotary elements'servin-g? as a' substitute for: cards, thisrmixing being, equiva-- lent to: the shufiiing-of' cards. The rolling; of the balls, which; constitutes a most important feaiture of. the games, is caused by gravity. The dealing of cards is most satisfactorily replaced by the guiding of playing balls to a swingable body which is situated substantially in the mididle of the drum and which may, be conveniently manipulated to elevate the ballsffromithe interior ofnthe drum to' the upper surface: thereoflyand upon; guides carried by thisupper -surface. The

a variety-of other gaines'rnay'b played l5y nieaiis" The} invention wilfappear more clearly froiii the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying, drawings showing, by way of example preferred 'iiib'odimerits of the inventive idea. i

Inthefdrawi'ngsz Figu'rel -is a top view"ofagaiiieeplayiiigfiiachine with-some parts removed. Figure 2 isa section alongthe line 2-1-2 of Figure-4- is, a'deta'il'i section along the. li'iie 4 -4 of-Figure-L Figure 5 is alpers'pectiveview era differently constructed machine.-

; Eigurefi is alt op view of (the machine shown I inwFigi-ire'ti, with somelpartsfier'ndved. Figure '7 isa section along ttielinl l of Figure 6".-

the dealing of the balls. t

Figure is. a "top new with some parts f- Figure- 12Risa perspectivelvie'w of fa ball-'rec'iv ingdrawer.

The game. playing, machine shown i'rfFigi'ir'si'l to l of the drawings comprises av supporting? t me Hi having two parallel bar-$13 and" lfi 'and' a (561i.- necting bar Q. 'fllie frame I'D 'i'S' mainfained aninclined position; b'yftwo" upper lgs ll and-"a lower bar j 21 central bar [5' extends between the bars l3=and l4 and is suspended therefronib'y downwardly extending pieces ['61 v, The inclined ira'me'llil' serves asa siip'pdrtfor arotary ci rcuiar case-or 'd'rum f8". Rounu. pinsl carriedby the frame: facilitatetlie turningorthe drum.

The drum it? isconsti'tut'edby a lower disciil, anwupper discs-Ethan annular wall-12' e'iiter'iding betweenathese discs and? a downwardly projecting round portion 'l' 'f which carries a pivot!!! fittinginto i an opening provided in thecentra-l bar. I 5t, Aniear or projectionfi i s firmly attached tattle-annular walll'if-of the drum, locking pin BI- may extenditl'iroughanopeninglfi'fi provided inthe proiiection- G2. and 'anunderlyingipdr- .ti-on oi the- -,bar E2 toflocliin lace the drum;

extends between the partition 26 and a cylinder 46. The doors 2? and 28 extend obliquely from or walls 21 and 28', respectively. A partition 11 face 3|, due to the provision of a partition 60 extending parallel to the floor 55. The two balls situated below the partition 60 fill gaps during the upward turning of the cylinder 46 and thereby insure the discharge of the other five balls.

Balls 56 used in the game may serve as substitute for playing cards and may be made of wood, ordinary or magnifying glass, porcelain, plastics, ivory, cement or any other suitable material.

The balls maybe made in convenient sizes rangingfrom three-quarters of'an'inch to one and one-half inches in diameter and may be of 'four colors which are a well recognizedcomponent of the rim 22 of the drum toward the center there- 7 Q of and are suspended upon hinges l5 and 16, respectively (Figs. 3 and 4).

door 21, due to the provision of a stop 30.

The door 28 opens, one way, namely in the direction toward the The door 21 is located close to a pin 29 which may be inserted by hand into an opening 19 extendingthrough the disc 2| and also through a bar 18 which carries the hinge I5. The pin'29 is used to prevent the door 27 from swinging in one direction. x

.The interior of the drum 8 communicates with the upper surface 3| of the disc 2| through two openings 32 and 33. The opening 62 is of elongated form and is covered by a plate or trap door 34 having an upwardly projecting edge-35 and connected by hinges 36 to the upper disc 2|.

The opening 33 is usually covered by a plate or trap door 38 which is hinged at 39 to the upper disc 2| and is provided with an upturned edge 10. The disc 2| carries six parallel guides 40 which extend between the cylinder 46 and the upturned edge 35 of the plate or cover 54, so that five channels 42 are formed by these guides.

A playing channel 43 is formed upon the disc 2| by a curved wall or guide and a peripheral guide 4| extending parallel to the guide 25. The playing channel 43 terminates at the raised edge 10 of the cover 38. and may hold about five balls. Another channel 45 for so-called 'wild balls may be provided diametrically opposite the channel 43 and may be composed of a curved guide 23, a parallel peripheral" guide 37 and an end wall 24. The channel 44 may hold about ten balls.

The cylinder46 is provided with axle stubs 49 and 50 which are mounted in supports l'l'and 48 situated within the drum I8 and extending between the discs 26 and 2| thereof. One part of the cylinder 46 extends into the projecting portion I! of the drum while another part extends through an opening 5| provided in the upper disc 2|. An inclined'edge portion'52 of the disc 2| which is situated close to the cylinder 46, serves as a guide for the balls 53 The cylinder 46 is provided with levers or hanQ dles 54 and 80 which extend above the disc H! and which enable the user to turn the cylinder -with his right hand or his left hand. The center of gravity of the cylinder 46 may be so located that the cylinder will return automatically to the position shown in the drawings as soon as the handle 54 or 80 isreleased.

The cylinder 45 serves for elevating the balls 53 f rom the interior of the drum I8 to the'upper surface 3|. For that purpose the cylinder 46 is provided with a slot or compartment 55 which is constituted by a floor 56' and a rear wall 51, as well as side Walls 53 and 59. The compartment 55 may be-made of a size to hold any suitable number of balls 53; In' the-example illustrated the compartment 55 will hold seven balls, but will discharge only five balls on the "top surordinary playing cards, namely, black for spades, blue for clubs, red for hearts and White or ivory for, diamonds.

and decorated in a manner similar to that pro- The balls are numbered, lettered vided on playing cards, possibly with the addi- 'tion. of luminous markings and the efiects of magnifying glass.

- To mix the balls 53 situated within the'drum E8, the pin 6| is removed from its locking posi-.

tion in the hole 62, and then the drum |8- is' rotated by hand upon its pivot l9. The player may hold the pin 29 while turning the drum. The two pins 29. and 6| may be substituted by a sin-' gle pin whichis removed fromthe opening 53- and inserted into theopening l9.- Due to the inclination of the frame Hi, a revolution of the drum l8 lifts rows of balls to locations about one- The balls will readily pass the swinging door 28 in the course of their rolling motionsin direc-' tions opposed to that of the arrow65.

" Since the door 21 is prevented from 21 during the rotation of the drum l8. will be guided-by the door toward the compartment 55 I of the cylinder 45. Since the door 28 swings only in the direction toward the door 21, the balls will be readily assembled in the space between the" twodoors 21 and 28. The drum I8 may be locked then by the insertion opening" 63.

The cylinder 46 may be swung by any oneoi' the handles 54 or 85, so that it can be conveniently operated by either-the right hand or the left hand of a player. The turning ofthe cylinder 46 counterclockwise (looking in the direction of Figure 2) will raise the balls located in the chamber 55 and when the wall 51 is moved to a position fiu'sh with the inclined surface 3|, these balls will roll down the wall 51 and into the channe s 42 carried by the upper surface 3|. Due tothe locationof its center of gravity, the cylinder 48 will return automatically to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, as soon as manual pressure upon its handles is released. I i

Balls rolling in the channels 42. will be halted by the raisededge 35-of the plate 34. This de-i livery of "the balls serves as a substitute for the dealing of cards necessary in playing various games of solitaire. v Many different games ofsolitaire may be played by means of this apparatus through small changes in the equipment upon the top surface 3| of the drum I8, or-through altered useof such equipment. The game which is described herein below is, therefore, given only by way of example.

' The channels 42 are soarranged in relation tothorturning outwardly by the pin 29, balls striking the door of the pin.6| into the etrmar' ws 'wnr discharge. one ball into each anemia 42; tans gdu tdthexqliter ends of "base-enemas Where any 7 left over or 7 unplayed I Htiithiritefior of the (113111118 537 raising the trap door 34.

i fhe pjiirbb'se ofat? th the eduivalent'of th fifty-two cardsin an ordin'ary'decl; bfpiaY-ihg" cards; The player must gpaqmpnsh tha't'e'nd bjf utilizing'onli r the upper of 'fijreballs' in the five c anne e.,' the player cannot" dip down into the lower rows of' hafllfsto single out halls 'of-hi'sf choice which have heen'succeeded by the following rows created by the turning ofth'e' cylinder lktf "From the top row t e ieter m la -9ft the balls n. r up r fltt te i Re ief-hee va u 6- th i h ee of a a f ve half straih a five ball flush;- 9. @Y bl ji l .91. .I Y T'fi FZ h lay-fi ty r pter $1 k; t 'yt r q fiv ali. fq ine tq'th iy ns ber z et i m t thehall 'e e di a ded: h he nsf drq p bu he. evenin 33 t the nter q Qf e d um 1- h l e n mania. so akledw' li ba f t e' a e ti e e t n t qse q P uni a the. ewe q st tn ax d aq i ze q yqell n the the garne is'to' enable one playl 'reean; mleiea nethay ee bee igah q bed hat. Without; a in wild, ards ma be uete stul n anth m n ach e'aamesnla c d; W ee' hree wildgunits he ix e t ma wt. Q ea h as nae-1am; t gw ld. n te nl'ay r in nawtqfeaehse n he de tt bed. wikl nable c i ppl dha Q nly twefi eers on Qne e id 9 f lay s l a e hl'a t ma e canno n ey oli: taire with ordinary playing cards because he ca notshp fle, d a or play eca ds- 'lhemar ne hewn'if i igur sjfi to i he d a ii st t esj ime" u e it apl s t e P ifi qf. solitaireand alsofs ud po r by means o f liallsiiisiznilar to,thqsede s q i e. l ette-e wine. Whwh sw ga ly i fim 'd 2 2. pivots? 'qer t edib aqqlu n r 2in. 3. ..m9 l1 n le fi'i I' 'i ecain 1, che hctt m. .1 de as. aa ne neable slaw? with n u r. swin ane pat a. ta tes fle m mama wautl of thecas in Ajiev r qfijcranig a2 sitiiatd Q nne'Qtby ai ed. with] ea- 1 gets s n o mused o main n r elgiplatfqrni "87. in; a ia sitie n which t 1 migrant jw tntneipjlatro as. Thes'wingab taming-tee q l iiy .ca r di bea u '6 "Q lt i v e al e 'e sm y onn c ed Whitey/L i flienclq esthe Iie out all of the-fifty-two halls-which are t ed. 'The mabrackets m1 at wall 88. vertical 'surfaces "8B 'extendbetweenthe platform 91 and the top platform 89; 'The blam term '31 carries an'im'ier sjto piol servingae" a rest forarr-edge of the-swingable platform 88.

The casing; ;8l carries 1 a lock comprising two -r'ying a bolt I02. 'In'th'e position shownin-Figures 6 and fan end of the bolt 1:92 maye insertedint'c an openhig prov-ided in Ta bracket I03 earr-iedby the bottomplate 84. Then the casing 8! issecurely looked; in the illustrated position. r l V I Baflies I04 are catriedbythe bottom 85 and the'platforintT of the c'asi'n'g. Guides'or partition walls l 85 are suspended from-the top plat;

form 89' andextnd towarda ba l-1' dispensing de vice l08. i l The device! is us'ed for transmitting balls from the interior if the casLiIigto the platform 88 it comprises two discs lltTwhich are joined by two parallel-wires or reds um and which carry pivots I09 mounted minnerhrackets ttllrcone stituting a part of the. Walls'lfl; As. shown in Figures 7: and 8, the distance. between the two rods [DB-is smaller than the diameter of; theballs 53. A lever H1 is connected. to a. disc U11 and is usedjoractuatingthe device. ..1 l The swingable-platform flflbcarries, guides [t2 constituting five channels 15th for the. balls. A barrier H4 extends across the lower orouter end-sot the channels H3. i

he upper fixed platform 8% carries a. playing channel H5 and a channel M6. for wild-hal s. The channel H5. is c nsti-tutedbya. uide H extending parallel to: another guide. uarunning along an edge of the platform;8.5=..-. tram (lQQr H9: is hingedxat lzfl tothe platform 89. aniqovers an opening leading; to. the interior of the casing A raised edge" lriilof thetrandoor H3! fiaicfi theiohannel'lifii". :1 j. 1

'LheLcham-mel- M6 for balls inclu esa i iont wall 12-2 and-a guide tithextendingparallel. to a Inplaying solitaire, the machine; is. used in Shh stantially the same manner that. previomsltl described; Balls 53: maybeintroduced into, the

, interior ofthe casing-8d byturning-theplatj ogm 88 and then theballs arei'mixed hy. swingingqr teetering the-casing8t. When the casihguis inclined-"in a direction opposed to. that shown the drawings, balls may 'he shiftediintojthe up,- perpart Ofxth casingbyactuating the. lever 9,2 to raise the platform Bil-into. the pesition, show; by. broken lines in. Figure; 7., Then; the casing 81 is inclined .in. theoppe'sitedirection, :so that the balls will; roll, downthe platform 85k and. will be dire ted by uides. m5: towand haeieneesin device I08. The casing BI is then locked by; the bolt I02: in. theil'lu's'thatedf position.

The wires H118: 'ofthe d slifinsing devi e 1 65 serve as astppifOrQthQ ballsunh li t e lfifis iii r fl y actuatin z heleye HJJ- E cha e a ovement otthelet n- Mi re ea sanua r channels. H33. until". stopl fidibygi llt .E K i H1 As already described, the balls. be; ferred in groups from the. channel M3". to, the playing channel H5 in. the course. of the game, with the-p0SSible addition ofso-oalled. wild balls from the channel H5and ballssituated"in the drawers 1-25; Baijllsdiscarded frorn the channel fIJE are returned to the casingfil through; the

name eq exedby hu p. deal: al h l in the'chahnel's H3 are returnedto the casingby I24. running-Eaton ail-edge of the p'liaticrm raising that end ,of the platform 88 which carriesthe barrier H4, r V When this machine is usedrto play stud poker, the fivechannel I I3 will receive from the dispensing device and holdthe unconcealed'playing units of each player; As one of these channels may be assigned to. each ofthe playershe can therein receive his whole hand offive playing units unconcealed, as is customary in various games. referred to as show-downs, or the unconcealed part of his hand, generally four-play ing units, in the ordinary game of stud poker;

Forlthe concealed units-of the playing hand in stud poker drawers orboxes I having handles I26-are provided in thewalls 86 and Ha oi the casing. The balls enter the boxes byforceoi gravity and momentum upon the lowering of the section of the machine inwhich theboxesla e located inthe mixing phase. Each of the boxes is numbered to correspond Withthe numbered chap: nel used for the unconcealedball, The player to whomany numbered box is assigned can readily lift the box fromthe machine and. examine or take possession of the ball entrapped inthe well.- The length of the box or drawer, ,for ex ample a length of two ando-ne half inches holding a ball one inch in diameter in the W811;'Wl11 conceal the ball from .all players except the one who lifts the box from the machine and closely examines its contents. Thus the concealedcomponent of the stud poker hand is provided. The entrapping function of'any of these boxes can be suspended by inserting a pin I28 intosuitable openings which maintain a .pin across an open side of each drawer. l a

Figures 9 to 12 illustrate ball-receiving drawers or boxes I30 of. a different construction. The boxes I30 may becarried by a casing SI of a solitaire playing machine whichis similar to that illustrated in Figures-5 to 8 and which is provided with open channels H3 and a lock. i 02.

' Each of the boxes .l3ll maybeprovided with a handle I3I. The floor of each box I30 may consist of an inclined portion I32 leading-to awell I33-wherein a ball 53 which traversed vthe'fioor portion I32, will be entrapped. Balls 53 may be guided to the boxes I30 by a bafile IM-and guides I35 situated with the'ca'sing 8|.

Balls may be prevented from penetrating. into a box I30 by inserting that. box upside down into the casing 8I, as shown in Figure 11. Then the handle I3I will rest upon the floor of the casing and the inclined surface I32 willconstitute the ceiling of the box. Any balls which may penetrate into the box despite the raising thereof caused by the handle I3I,-Wi1lroll out as soon as the casing is inclined in the opposite direction; r 4

It is apparent that theillustrated machines have been given by way of illustration and not by Way of limitation and that they are. capable of wide variation and modification without departing from the scope or intent of the present invention. All of such variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

-What is claimed is: H 1. An apparatus simulating the playingof card games, wherein the cards are replaced by balls carrying card indicia, said apparatus comprising, -in combination, a casing, means vfor moving said casing to mix balls situated within said casi g, a dispensing device for transmitting balls from the interior of said casing to an outer s he o m n r ed: b aid wa e surface and-constituting channels receiving balls l transmitted by said dispensing device, means carried by said outer L surface,an d constituting a playing channeL-ancl a trap door carried by said casing and situated at one end of said zl laying channel.

. 2. Anapparatussimulatingthe ayers games, wherein the, cards are replaced byballs carrying card indicia, said apparatus comprising in -combination, a drun rshaped casing, an in; clined frame pivotally supporting said casing, whereby said casing may; berotated to mix balls situated within said casing, means carried upon said casing-and constitutingrchanneisfior said balls, and a dispensingdevice ,for transmitting balls from the interior of saidcasing to said channels. 7 3. An apparatus simulatingtheplaying .of-card games, wherein thecards are replaced by carrying card indicia, said apparatus compris; ing, in combination, acasing, means for moving said casing to mix balls -situated within'said casin means carried upon said casing and con stituting channels-for said balls, and a cylinder rotatably mounted within saidcasing and com; prising partitionsv situated within the cylinder I and constituting a chamber receiving balls,

within the casing inone position of the cylinder and transmitting said ,balls' to said channel when said cylinder is rotated from saidposition'to another position. N I i L 4, An apparatus simulating the playing v of card games, wherein thecards are replacedfby in an inclined playing position, means ."c'ar'ried upon said casing and constituting .channels'ior said balls, a cylinder rotatably mounted within said casing and comprising ,partitio'nssituated within the cylinder and constituting a chamber receiving balls within the casing in one position of thecylinder and transmitting said balls to said channel when said cylinder is'r'otated from said position to anotherposition' and spacedpar tition walls extending within said casing i'n fdirections toward said cylinder and swingable "to:

ward each other, whereby said balls are co1 ,lected between, the partition walls and are guided toward said cylinder.

5. An apparatus simulating the playing'Iof card games wherein the.jcards are replaced by balls carrying card indicia, said apparatus'ic'om prising, in combination, a casing, means, .for movingflsaid casing to mix balls situated' witlun said casing, means carried upon said casing channels for said balls,' mounted in said casing, rods carried by said discs constituting andextending across'an opening'formed insald casing close to said channels to constitute a stop to transmit said balls toi's'aid channels; p

6. An apparatus simulating the I playing 'oi card games, wherein the cards are repla'oedby for said balls, and meansfo'r' turning saidgrods balls carrying card indicia, said apparatus comf, prising, in combination, a casing having an opening formed therein, an inner platform swingable toward and away from said opening, means care ried by said casing for actuating said inner plat;

.form', an outer platformswingablyfmountedin said casing, means' carried by saidjoute'rjplat form and constituting channels for said balls 7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1,

extending toward said opening, a pivot swingcomprising a box carried by said casing and havably supporting said casing, discs mounted in ing means for retaining, concealing and displaysaid casing, rods carried by said discs and exing a ball penetrating into said box during the tending across said opening to; constitute a stop 5 mixing of the balls.

for balls rolling upon said inner platform to- JOHN J. I-IICKEY. ward said opening, and means for'turning said u rods to transmit said balls to said channels. 

